MotoOnline.com.au breaks down the specifics from race day Sunday at Horsham’s opening round of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals season in Victoria.

MX1

Image: Rhys van Slooten.

Super Pole: Kade Mosig 1m50.340s

Moto one results:
1. Dean Ferris
2. Kirk Gibbs
3. Matt Moss
4. Daniel Reardon
5. Brett Metcalfe
6. Kade Mosig
7. Dylan Long
8. Jay Wilson
9. Todd Waters
10. Jesse Dobson
11. Lawson Bopping
12. Matthew Toth
13. Michael Menchi
14. Kurt Wightman
15. Joel Milesevic
16. Michael Mahon
17. Daniel Banks
18. Aaron Watts
19. Jack Foley
20. Lachy Steen

Race time: 33m38.998s
Margin of victory: 9.144s
Laps completed: 18
Fastest lap: Dean Ferris 1m50.599s

Moto two results:
1. Matt Moss
2. Kirk Gibbs
3. Todd Waters
4. Kade Mosig
5. Brett Metcalfe
6. Dean Ferris
7. Dylan Long
8. Jesse Dobson
9. Daniel Reardon
10. Lawson Bopping
11. Jay Wilson
12. Jacob Wright
13. Joel Milesevic
14. Michael Menchi
15. Kurt Wightman
16. Matthew Toth
17. Daniel Banks
18. Izak Maule
19. Luke Wilson
20. Michael Mahon

Race time: 33m35.593s
Margin of victory: 5.137s
Laps completed: 18
Fastest lap: Matt Moss 1m50.578s

MX1 overall results:
1. Matt Moss 65
2. Kirk Gibbs 64
3. Dean Ferris 60
4. Kade Mosig 53
5. Todd Waters 52
6. Brett Metcalfe 52
7. Daniel Reardon 50
8. Dylan Long 48
9. Jesse Dobson 44
10. Jay Wilson 43
11. Lawson Bopping 41
12. Michael Menchi 35
13. Joel Milesevic 34
14. Matthew Toth 34
15. Kurt Wightman 33
16. Daniel Banks 28
17. Michael Mahon 26
18. Aaron Watts 23
19. Jack Foley 21
20. Jacob Wright 19

MX1 championship standings:
1. Matt Moss 65
2. Kirk Gibbs 64
3. Dean Ferris 60
4. Kade Mosig 53
5. Todd Waters 52
6. Brett Metcalfe 52
7. Daniel Reardon 50
8. Dylan Long 48
9. Jesse Dobson 44
10. Jay Wilson 43
11. Lawson Bopping 41
12. Michael Menchi 35
13. Joel Milesevic 34
14. Matthew Toth 34
15. Kurt Wightman 33
16. Daniel Banks 28
17. Michael Mahon 26
18. Aaron Watts 23
19. Jack Foley 21
20. Jacob Wright 19

Verdict:
Predicting a winner for round one was merely a guessing game for event the sport’s most experienced insiders. We all knew that the MX1 class of 2016 would be incredible to watch and that truly was the case. Moss was consistently strong even if he did miss out on Super Pole, going 3-1 in the motos. That ride in the second race was one for the ages, signifying that now with Kawasaki he’s effectively back to his best – this round one win is huge for him and the team. And his overall race time in moto two was quickest of all. As for the rest, Ferris was especially fast and controlled moto one, but left the round pretty mad not to win upon return from MXGPs after crashing in moto two. As for defending champion Gibbs, despite not entering the round at 100 percent, he was as solid as ever and that second place proves he will be in the fight for this title once again, there’s no doubt about that. Another rider who wasn’t happy departing Horsham was Super Pole winner Mosig, but he showed he has the pace. As for Waters, a flat front tyre in the first race shot his chances of an overall podium, but fifth was good considering. Metty was decent in both motos but needs better starts, while things just didn’t seem to click for Reardon when it counted – a lap one crash in moto two cemented that. And in case you were wondering, there was once again plenty of tension between Moss and Reardon, not to mention simmering battles between many more on track. Things are only just heating up.

MX2

Image: Rhys van Slooten.

Pole position: Jed Beaton 1m56.281s

Moto one results:
1. Caleb Ward
2. Jake Moss
3. Nathan Crawford
4. Jayden Rykers
5. Luke Arbon
6. Jed Beaton
7. Kyle Webster
8. Wilson Todd
9. Dylan Wills
10. Kale Makeham
11. Richie Evans
12. Joel Wightman
13. Hamish Harwood
14. Dean Porter
15. Ricky Latimer
16. Wade Hunter
17. Lachlan Davis
18. Aaron Tanti
19. Nick Sutherland
20. Kurt Gow

Race time: 32m47.928s
Margin of victory: 8.396s
Laps completed: 17
Fastest lap: Caleb Ward 1m53.317s

Moto two results:
1. Wilson Todd
2. Jed Beaton
3. Nathan Crawford
4. Jake Moss
5. Caleb Ward
6. Hamish Harwood
7. Luke Arbon
8. Kale Makeham
9. Wade Hunter
10. Jayden Rykers
11. Joel Wightman
12. Richie Evans
13. Aaron Tanti
14. Kyle Webster
15. Dylan Wills
16. Dean Porter
17. Ricky Latimer
18. Kurt Gow
19. Josh Adams
20. Tomas Ravenhorst

Race time: 23m17.691s
Margin of victory: 2.663s
Laps completed: 12
Fastest lap: Caleb Ward 1m55.428s

MX2 overall results:
1. Caleb Ward 61
2. Nathan Crawford 60
3. Jake Moss 60
4. Wilson Todd 58
5. Jed Beaton 57
6. Luke Arbon 50
7. Jayden Rykers 49
8. Kale Makeham 44
9. Hamish Harwood 43
10. Kyle Webster 41
11. Joel Wightman 39
12. Richie Evans 39
13. Dylan Wills 38
14. Wade Hunter 37
15. Dean Porter 32
16. Aaron Tanti 31
17. Ricky Latimer 30
18. Kurt Gow 24
19. Lachlan Davis 23
20. Josh Adams 21

MX2 championship standings:
1. Caleb Ward 61
2. Nathan Crawford 60
3. Jake Moss 60
4. Wilson Todd 58
5. Jed Beaton 57
6. Luke Arbon 50
7. Jayden Rykers 49
8. Kale Makeham 44
9. Hamish Harwood 43
10. Kyle Webster 41
11. Joel Wightman 39
12. Richie Evans 39
13. Dylan Wills 38
14. Wade Hunter 37
15. Dean Porter 32
16. Aaron Tanti 31
17. Ricky Latimer 30
18. Kurt Gow 24
19. Lachlan Davis 23
20. Josh Adams 21

Verdict:
That was a real mixture of guys on the podium. Ward has been rated as the pre-season favourite and he delivered in moto one, before being forced to work his way back into position during the second for the overall. Nato Crawford had the best start to a season he’s had with the runner-up, which could be just what he needs to finally show just why he was so highly regarded as an amateur. Keep a close eye on him. As for Jake Moss, it was a case of happiness, relief and real injection of confidence to take an MX2 podium upon return to the class and around 18 months since his last national! It almost went unnoticed that last year’s MXD champ Wilson Todd won moto two on debut with Serco Yamaha, which boosted him to fourth overall. Behind him, the rider he replaced on the factory Yamaha team, Jed Beaton, can be satisfied with a top five to start the season and expect more to come. Who didn’t hit the ground running? Of the major threats you’d have to pin-point Dylan Wills in 13th and Wade Hunter directly behind him.